1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to internal combustion engine-driven vehicles, and more particularly to hybrid electric vehicles which are modified to incorporate a turbocharger and an exhaust gas driven generator.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) combines an internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric motor (EM) that is coupled to a battery power source. HEVs generally offer higher fuel economy, extended range, and lower emissions than conventional vehicles. Additionally, the inherent flexibility of HEVs can allow them to be used in a wide range of applications, from personal transportation to commercial hauling.
HEV powertrain theory has been in development for many years, with the greatest interest typically occurring when oil availability decreases and gasoline prices increase. The interest is due to the documented ability of HEVs to obtain significantly improved fuel economy and relatively low cost per mile of operation. Unfortunately, present HEVs are incapable of meeting the performance of conventional vehicles driven by ICEs at elevations higher than sea level. This shortcoming of HEVs is largely due to the fact that a typical HEV uses an ICE that is reduced in size compared to the conventional automobile and the reduced size of the ICE amplifies the effects of altitude changes on the performance of the ICE.